How many BYD Dolphin cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 6,111 licensed and 20 SORN vehicles in the UK within the BYD Dolphin generic-model group.
Looking at a Dolphin?
Population figures cannot tell you whether one particular car is taxed, MOT-valid or safe to buy.
Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. If the car is still worth pursuing, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Wondering whether one particular Dolphin is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.
Is the Dolphin disappearing?
6,111 are licensed as of 2026 Q1 — the highest count in the published series, so the Dolphin is still arriving on UK roads rather than leaving them.
A falling population is worth knowing before you buy: it usually means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply, and it is why a good example of a scarce model can hold its price while a neglected one is hard to sell at any price.
Fuel and when it shows up in the statistics
DfT codes every vehicle in the BYD Dolphin generic-model group as battery-electric.
BYD Dolphin first appears in the published DfT series in 2024 Q3. Earlier quarters in this file do not include it, so that quarter is not a production start date.
Quarterly licensed and SORN counts
Every quarter DfT has published for this model group, newest first.
| Quarter | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q1 | 6,111 | 20 |
| 2025 Q4 | 5,373 | 12 |
| 2025 Q3 | 1,699 | 5 |
| 2025 Q2 | 630 | 0 |
| 2025 Q1 | 149 | 0 |
| 2024 Q4 | 48 | 0 |
| 2024 Q3 | 24 | 0 |
| 2024 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 Q2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 Q4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 Q3 | 0 | 0 |
Other BYD models
- Seal Design EV — 50,491 licensed
- Atto 3 — 10,346 licensed
- Dolphin Comfort EV — 3,793 licensed
- Dolphin Design EV — 3,257 licensed
- Sealion 5 — 2,349 licensed
- Seal 6 — 1,825 licensed
See how many of every BYD model are left
Common questions
How many BYD Dolphin cars are left in the UK?
6,111 were licensed and 20 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
How many BYD Dolphin cars are SORN?
20 are declared SORN, alongside 6,111 licensed, at the end of 2026 Q1.
Is the Dolphin disappearing?
6,111 are licensed as of 2026 Q1 — the highest count in the published series, so the Dolphin is still arriving on UK roads rather than leaving them.
What fuel is the Dolphin coded as?
DfT codes every vehicle in the BYD Dolphin generic-model group as battery-electric.
When does the Dolphin appear in the UK statistics?
BYD Dolphin first appears in the published DfT series in 2024 Q3. Earlier quarters in this file do not include it, so that quarter is not a production start date.
Does this say whether one Dolphin is a good buy?
No. These are population figures for the model group. Enter that vehicle's registration for its own free MOT, tax and mileage record.
Source and limitations
Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.
Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.